[05/02/06 - 12:00 AM]NBC Primetime Results for the Week of April 24-30

[via press release from NBC]

NBC PRIMETIME RESULTS FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 24-30

BURBANK, Calif. -� May 2, 2006 �- NBC averaged a 3.1 rating, 9 share in adults 18-49 and 8.9 million viewers overall for the week of April 24-30 according to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

* Monday's "Deal or No Deal" was up in both 18-49 and total viewers for the second straight week, winning its competitive time period in 18-49, total viewers and all other key measures. "Deal" was up 63 percent in 18-49 versus NBC's pre-"Deal" season average for the time period (excluding Olympics) and was 32 percent ahead of its nearest competitor in the hour (Fox's "Prison Break") in adults 18-49.

* On Tuesday, an encore "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" won its hour in adults 18-49, outperforming an original episode of ABC's "Boston Legal" and an encore of CBS' "CSI: Miami." "SVU" was also #1 among adult, men and women 18-34.

* "Deal or No Deal" was dominant on Wednesday, hitting its highest numbers on the night since March 29 and ranking #1 in 18-49, total viewers and all key measures versus first-run episodes of Fox's "Bones," ABC's "Alias" and CBS' "Amazing Race."

* On Thursday, "The Office" retained 95 percent of its 18-49 lead-in from "My Name is Earl," the second-highest "Office" retention of "Earl" to date.

* On Friday, "Deal or No Deal" won the time period in 18-49 with a 45 percent increase over NBC's season average in the slot prior to "Deal."

Ratings reflect "live plus same day" data unless otherwise noted. Season-to-date figures are averages of live only results through Dec. 25 and "live plus seven day" data since then, except for the two most recent weeks, which are live plus same day.

On Monday, April 24, from 8-9:02 p.m. ET, "Deal or No Deal" (4.9 rating, 14 share in adults 18-49, 15.6 million viewers overall) was up in both 18-49 and total viewers for a second straight week, once again ranking #1 in this competitive time period in 18-49, total viewers and other key measures. In 18-49, "Deal" won by 32 percent over its nearest competitor in the hour (4.9 vs. 3.7 for Fox's "Prison Break") and posted a 63 percent improvement versus NBC's pre-"Deal" non-sports season average for the time period (4.9 vs. 3.0). From its first half-hour to its second, "Deal" surged by 26 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 5.4/15 from a 4.3/13) and by more than 2.8 million viewers.

Also on Monday, from 9:02-10 p.m. ET, "The Apprentice 5" (3.9/10 in 18-49, 9.6 million viewers overall) was up 11 percent in 18-49 versus its most recent performance in the hour (a 3.5 on April 10). At 10 p.m. ET, "Medium" (3.7/10 in 18-49, 9.8 million viewers overall) finished #2 in the hour in 18-49 and other key measures.

On Tuesday, April 25 at 9 p.m. ET, "Scrubs" (2.9/7 in 18-49, 6.0 million viewers overall) ranked #2 among adults, men and women 18-34. "Scrubs" increased by 123 percent in 18-49 rating versus its lead-in from the previous hour � a 1.3/3 in 18-49 and 3.1 million viewers overall for an encore "Scrubs" from 8:30-9 p.m. ET. At 9:30 p.m. ET, "Teachers" averaged a 2.3/5 in 18-49 and 4.7 million viewers overall.

Tuesday at 10 p.m., an encore "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.4/9 in 18-49, 9.2 million viewers overall) ranked #1 in adults 18-49, outperforming an original episode of ABC's "Boston Legal" (3.1/8) and an encore episode of CBS' "CSI: Miami" (3.1/8). "SVU" was also #1 among adults, men and women 18-34.

On Wednesday, April 26, from 8-9 p.m. ET, "Deal or No Deal" (5.0/14 in adults 18-49, 15.2 million viewers overall) was dominant, hitting its highest Wednesday numbers since March 29 (18-49 and total viewers). "Deal" won the hour by all relevant measures, outgunning such original competition as Fox's "Bones," ABC's "Alias" and CBS' "Amazing Race." In 18-49, "Deal" prevailed by 35 percent over its nearest competitor in the hour (5.0 vs. 3.7 for Fox's "Bones")

"Deal or No Deal" was up 85 percent in 18-49 rating versus NBC's pre-"Deal" non-sports season average for the time period (5.0 vs. 2.7). From its first half-hour to its second, "Deal" grew by 22 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 5.5/15 from a 4.5/13) and by more than 2.8 million viewers.

Also on Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET, "Dateline NBC" (3.3/8 in 18-49, 9.5 million viewers overall) scored the network's highest rating in the time period since the Winter Olympics in February. "Dateline" posted a time-period improvement of 57 percent in adults 18-49 (3.3 vs. 2.1) versus NBC's average since "Idol" moved into the 9-9:30 p.m. half-hour on March 15.

Thursday April 20 at 8 p.m. ET, "Will & Grace" (2.8/9 in 18-49, 7.6 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in adults 18-49, total viewers and other key measures, topping ABC's "American Inventor," Fox's "That '70s Show," WB's "Smallville" and UPN's "Everybody Hates Chris." At 8:30 p.m., an encore "My Name is Earl" (2.8/8 in 18-49, 6.9 million viewers overall) retained 100 percent of its 18-49 lead-in to keep NBC #2 in the half-hour in 18-49, total viewers and other measures.

Thursday at 9 p.m. ET, "My Name is Earl" (4.1/11 in 18-49, 9.1 million viewers overall) built on its lead-in by 46 percent in 18-49 and ranked #2 in adults 18-49 and virtually all key ratings measures.

At 9:30 p.m., "The Office" (3.9/10 in 18-49, 7.8 million viewers overall) retained 95 percent of its 18-49 lead-in from "Earl" to finish #2 in adults 18-49 and other key measures. This is the second-best retention to date for "The Office" following "Earl." Since moving to Thursday on Jan. 5, "The Office" has as averaged an 87 percent retention of the "Earl" lead-in in 18-49, up from a 71 percent average on Tuesdays.

On Friday, April 28 at 8 p.m. ET, "Deal or No Deal" (3.2/12 in 18-49, 11.1 million viewers overall) improved on NBC's 18-49 average in the time period prior to "Deal" by 45 percent (3.2 vs. 2.2). "Deal" ranked #1 in the time period in adults 18-49, total viewers and other key ratings categories. From its first half-hour to its second, "Deal" increased by 24 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 3.6/12 from a 2.9/11) and its overall viewership grew by more than 1.9 million viewers.

On Saturday, April 29 at 10 p.m. ET, an encore "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (2.0/6 in 18-49, 7.1 million viewers overall) ranked #1 in adults 18-49 (tied with CBS' "48 Hours") with NBC's highest rating in the hour in eight weeks (since March 4). "Criminal Intent" improved on its 18-49 rating in this time period one week earlier by 54 percent (2.0/7 vs. 1.3/4).

On Sunday, April 30 from 7-8 p.m. ET, "Dateline NBC" (2.1/7 in 18-49, 7.7 million viewers overall) scored it highest 18-49 and total viewer results for a Sunday edition since March 26. Versus its 18-49 rating of one week earlier, "Dateline" was up 62 percent (2.1/7 vs. 1.3/4).

From 9-10 p.m. ET Sunday, "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (3.3/7 in 18-49, 9.7 million viewers overall) improved by 50 percent in 18-49 and 1.4 million viewers overall on its lead-in � a 2.2/6 in 18-49 and 8.3 million viewers overall from "The West Wing."

Sunday at 10 p.m. ET, "Crossing Jordan" (3.5/8 in 18-49, 9.3 million viewers overall) was #2 for the time period in 18-49 and other key demographics. "Jordan" is up 6 percent versus its 18-49 lead-in, marking the sixth time in a row "Jordan" has built on its 18-49 lead-in from "Criminal Intent."